Gentle Hands
by The 2D Ninja
Summary: 2D never noticed how soft Noodle's hands were. Rated T for swearing.


_A/N_: I knew I couldn't stay away from writing about these two. x3 Oh well. I do have a few more ideas for Royai fanfics, though, so keep your eyes peeled for those. ^^ Anyways, enjoy the huge pile of fluffiness below and please, _read and review_!

_Disclaimer_: Yeah, I don't own Gorillaz. They belong to the ever-brilliant Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. :D

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It seemed that 2D was cursed with the unfortunate ability of always being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That meaning whenever Murdoc had just enough bottles of rum to awaken his nasty side. Not his usual, grumpy, sarcastic demeanor, but a flat-out violent and merciless side to the Satanic bassist that always ended in the same way: taking out all of his anger on the closest thing within hitting distance, which more often than not happened to be none other than the simple-minded singer himself. Not only that, 2D had the luck - or perhaps _unluck_- to find out that Murdoc is much stronger than normal while in his sadistic-drunken persona, and that trying to fight back or call for help only ended up in a more severe beating.

The abuse was often short-lived, seeing as 2D didn't have much of a pain-tolerance and would eventually fall unconscious after one too many punches to the face, and once Murdoc figured out that his punching bag was no longer making those high-pitched noises he found so amusing, he would toss 2D aside out of sheer boredom and stumble off towards his beloved Winnebago, where he could eventually pass out in from both exhaustion and his drunken stupor. 2D, on the other hand, would remain on the floor for the rest of the night, only to be discovered the next morning by either Noodle or Russ - depending on which one was hungrier. It didn't really matter which one found him, though 2D had to admit that he liked it when Noodle stumbled upon him rather than Russel. Russel would merely shake the singer awake, pick him up, set him on a chair, and go back to making breakfast.

Noodle, on the other hand, took 2D's broken state much more seriously, often screaming when she found him crumpled up on the floor. She would then get down on her knees and carefully rouse the bluenette, help him to his feet and guide him to her room, since it was closer than his, then sit him on her bed so she could gently wipe up the dried blood on his face and hold and ice-pack to his swollen eye.  
One time, however, Murdoc was excessively more violent than usual. He was having a horrible day already, and decided to down his sorrows in both rum and brandy, which 2D now knows makes a very dangerous concoction.  
2D began to notice that Murdoc was starting to spout his anger aimlessly around the room, and at that moment he probably should have left, but the singer was feeling all that peachy that day either and was currently enjoying a smoke and did not have the will to get up and move to a different room.

"Tha' bitch!" Murdoc growled, waving his fist in the air, bracing himself with his other hand on the table. "I don't need her!" He threw his head back and laughed loudly.  
"'Ey, Face-Ache," The bassist half-shouted, his lips pulling back to reveal his yellowing teeth, "Get me 'nother drink, will ya?"  
2D cleared his throat and glanced at the man who was now having troubles staying upright. "I fink you've had 'nuff, mate."  
That made the smirk vanished instantly, instead being replaced by a snarl. "Who the fuck do you think you are to decide that, Dullard?"  
2D swallowed loudly, suddenly deciding to leave the room. Muds was getting that look on his face that he knew all too well.  
"L-look, Muds. Ya can drink all ya want to. I-I fink I'm goin' to go lay in me room for awhile."

But before he could escape, Murdoc snatched him by the back of his collar. He leaned forward so his lips were by the singer's ear.  
"And where do ya think you're goin', 'ey Face-Ache?"  
2D grimaced as Murdoc's drunken breath filled his nose, and he fought the urge to gag. That would only piss him off more.  
"P-p-please Muds. Don't do this-" But before he could finish, the bassist rammed his fist into the singer's back, cutting off his words as 2D let out a startled gasp. Murdoc let the man fall to the floor, and then began kicking him in the stomach, over and over. As 2D tried desperately to curl up in a ball to protect his abdomen, the Satanist then switched and booted once him in the chin, jerking his head upwards.

2D groaned and flinched as he tasted blood. He tried to inhale, though it hurt too much to breathe. He guessed that he had broken a rib or two. For a split second, he wondered where Noodle and Russ were at that moment that they couldn't hear what was going on. Perhaps neither of them cared. The thought made him feel sick to his stomach, though it was short-lived seeing as Murdoc had caught his breath and was now picking up the singer by the front of his shirt.  
"Let's see how many times I can slug ya in that ugly face o' yours before you start cryin'." Murdoc hissed; he was grinning again, though it was a different kind of grin. A sadistic one.  
As he watched Murdoc pull his hand back the singer couldn't help but squeeze his eyes shut, waiting for the pain. Then, it came.

He counted how many times he punched him. One… two, three… four… five, six, seven… It wasn't long before 2D lost count, though he swore it was more than fifteen.  
He cringed at Murdoc's malicious laugh as his nose made a sickening crunch. No matter how many times the singer whined or pleaded him to stop, it only made Murdoc more excited. Eighteen… nineteen… wow, he had hit twenty. A world record, probably. 2D might have actually been a bit proud if not for the circumstances.  
Murdoc's breathing had become labored again, and 2D wondered - begged - that he was getting tired and would soon stop. However, he couldn't tell in the end when Murdoc stopped. The room began to swim and 2D felt his head get dizzy, and before long he fell into darkness.

2D heard someone calling his name over and over. "'D? 'D? Oh God… 2D, please wake up! Toochi? Toochi?!"  
_'Noodle…?_' 2D tried to reply, but the words wouldn't reach his tongue. He let out a low groan, taking on the endeavor of opening his eyes. It took a few times, but finally his hollow eyes blinked open, though one of them couldn't open all the way. He saw Noodle bending over him, tears sparkling in her eyelashes.  
Another moan slipped past his lips as he struggled to sit up. However, he felt something pushing on his chest.  
"D-don't try to get up." Noodle whispered, a shimmering tear sliding down her cheek and landing on 2D's shirt, which he noticed was covered in an alarming amount of blood. So_ that's_ why he felt so woozy.  
"N…Noodle luv, are you… are you cryin'?" 2D croaked, lifting up a hand slowly to wipe away another tear that was threatening to fall.  
That only made the young guitarist cry even more, grabbing the singer's hand and holding it to her face and inhaling shakily. "God… I thought you were dead, 'D."

That nauseated feeling was back, twisting his gut painfully. "I'm so sorry, luv. Muds was really messed up last nigh'." He hated seeing her weep. "P-please stop cryin'." He begged her in a whisper, which seemed to be as loud as his voice could go at the moment. Noodle sniffled loudly and nodded, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "C-come on, Toochi. Let's get you cleaned up." Her voice took on a very dangerous tone. "We'll deal with Murdoc-san later."

As Noodle gingerly helped the singer sit up, 2D wondered why she kept calling him 'Toochi'. He hadn't heard that nickname in a very long time. Why was she starting to now? Maybe he'd ask her later. However, at that moment, the thought slipped from his mind as he had to focus on walking, which he proved to be very difficult in his state. But Noodle was at his side the entire time, one arm wrapped around his waist and the other holding on to the arm that was wrapped around her own shoulders.

They very slowly made their way to the lift, Noodle's grasp on 2D tightening slightly whenever he gasped in pain. As the lift shuddered to a stop on the top floor, 2D let out a sigh of relief. At least he didn't have to walk for much longer. It didn't take them long to reach Noodle's room, the guitarist using her foot to open the door instead of taking the risk of letting go of the singer. She led him to her bed and gently pushed him onto the mattress, smiling slightly as he sighed in ease. "Stay here, 2D," Noodle murmured softly, "I'll be right back. I just need to grab a rag."

She hurried off to her private bathroom, 2D's gaze following her until she vanished behind the door, a small grin playing with his lips. He could hear her shuffling around, then running the tap. In no time, she was rushing back to him, sitting carefully on the bed next to him. Green eyes met black ones, and they exchanged soft smiles. "This might hurt, 'D." She warned him, however looking just as worried over causing the singer more discomfort. 2D nodded, completely understanding what she meant. Sucking in a deep breath, Noodle slowly reached up to dab the cloth on 2D's nose.

The singer gasped and flinched, both shocked by the ice cold water and at the stinging pain that shot through his face. Noodle cringed as well, whispering "sorry" before continuing.  
"It's alright, luv." 2D hissed through gritted teeth.

However, while Noodle carefully wiped the cloth over 2D's bloody face, he couldn't help but notice how soft the guitarist's hands were. Whenever she could brush her fingers against a cut, even that whisper of a touch made shivers crawl up his spine. For the rest of the time, 2D's mind was stuck on trying to figure out why and how Noodle's hands were so damn smooth.

It wasn't long until all of the blood had been washed from the multiple scrapes that marred the singer's complexion. "Well, most of the blood is gone, though I'm afraid I can't do much about those bruises." Noodle said reluctantly, eying the quickly forming dark circles around both of 2D's eyes. 2D shrugged dismissively. "It'll be like right after Murdoc launched me inta a curb."

2D grinned at the obvious joke, though Noodle stayed silent, not finding it funny at all. Once she caught on that he was kidding, she forced a breathless laugh, however knowing that it wasn't that convincing. The singer noticed how upset Noodle looked, and leaning forward, wrapped his lanky frame around Noodle's. "I am alrigh' ya know, luv." He could feel Noodle nod her head, but she didn't say anything. 2D tilted Noodle's chin up and frowned when he saw more tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "I thought I said no more crying." He frowned, using the tip of his finger to carefully wipe them away.

Noodle sniffed and pulled away. "Er… are you sure there isn't anything else I can do, 'D?" She asked him, trying to keep her voice level. 2D tapped a long finger on his chin for a moment before shaking his head. "Nope. Dun fink so."

Suddenly, the Axe Princesses emerald eyes lit up. "I do have one more idea." She exclaimed, sinking forward so her face was level with the bluenette's. Then, she leaned in closer and gently placed a kiss on the bridge of his nose. Once she straightened, she grinned widely. "There, that should feel better."

2D though for a moment. "Yannow, it actually does a bi'." His own mouth twisted into a smile and he said, "But me eye still hurts a wee bit." Noodle's lips stretched and she bent forward again, pressing her lips against each black eye.  
"Anywhere else?"  
"My forehead."  
"Of course." She kissed the singer again.  
"And my cheek."  
Noodle knew that he probably wasn't punched in the cheek, but if it was making him feel better…  
"Anywhere else…?"  
"Once last place."  
"And where might that be?"  
2D pondered for a moment, his toothy grin growing as an idea popped into his head.  
"Yeah… well yannow, Muds even hit me on me mouf… so…"  
Noodle raised an eyebrow suspiciously, but couldn't help but melt into the singer's hopeful expression.  
"Of course."  
She leaned in slower this time, stopping right before their lips touched. She could feel his breath on her mouth, making her head spin slightly. Then, she slid forward and kissed the singer softly.

The kiss was brief, only lasting a few seconds, but when they pulled apart both of their mouths were open slightly, reeling from the contact, and each of their cheeks were tinted pink.  
After Noodle's heart stopped racing, she turned to look at the singer.  
"Do you feel better now, Toochi?"  
"O' yeah. Much betta'."


End file.
